ABSTRACT

Students will experience the power of folktales that foster compassion for others’ misfortunes and celebration of their triumphs. Students will also see the limitations of tales that sometimes promote stereotypes and superficiality. Students will demonstrate their learning in a culminating class project—a folklore festival. After exploring three professions stemming from an interest in folklore, students will choose the one that most interests them and suits their learning preferences. A variety of assessment opportunities are provided for teachers to gather information about their students. A pre-assessment at the outset of the unit reveals students’ prior knowledge of folktales both with a formal and informal assessment. Each product will require the student to show what he or she understands about folktales: types of characters, settings, and motifs. Students will be given options on how to demonstrate this knowledge based on their interests and learning styles. Each product has equal rigor, but different products will appeal to different students.